Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt is a terribly sad memoir of Frank’s childhood in Ireland during the depression and early years of WWII. The only redeeming part of this story is that Frank lived to tell of his ordeal. He endured extreme poverty, an alcoholic father and a controlling religious system, yet he still managed to grow up and make something of himself.
Quotes of interest from the book:
I know that big people don’t like questions from children. They can ask all the questions they like, How’s school? Are you a good boy? Did you say your prayers? but if you ask them did they say their prayers you might be hit on the head.
I sit on the seventh step a long time and I’m sure the angel is there. I tell him things you can’t tell your mother or father for fear of being hit on the head or told to go out and play.
The master says it’s a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says it’s a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if there’s anyone in the world who would like us to live.
…’Tis class distinction. They don’t want boys from the lanes on the altar… Oh no, they want the nice boys with hair oil and new shoes that have fathers with suits and ties and steady jobs. That’s what it is and ‘tis hard to hold on to the Faith with the snobbery that’s in it.
You have to study and learn so that you can make up your own mind about history and everything else, but you can’t make up an empty mind. Stock your mind. It is your treasure and no one in the world can interfere with it.
The best people for tips are windows, Protestant ministers’ wives and the poor in general.
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